February 6
1800s *1887 - At Hot Springs, Arkansas, Albert Spalding meets with the Chicago White Stockings players and exacts from each man a pledge of total abstinence from drinking during the coming season. With the entire outfield gone from last year's team and pitcher Jim McCormick holding out at home in New Jersey, the champion White Stockings will have to rely on young players. *1891 - The New York Giants' salary list is leaked to the press. It shows a total player payroll of $54,600 with Buck Ewing's $5,500 salary topping the scale. *1895 - Babe Ruth is born in Baltimore, Maryland. Ruth will amass 714 home runs with 2217 RBI and a lifetime batting average of .342 on his way to Hall of Fame election in 1936. 1900s-1940s *1926 - The St. Louis Browns acquire catcher Wally Schang from the New York Yankees for pitcher George Mogridge and cash. Although Schang is 36 of age, he will hold the job as catcher for the Browns for four seasons. *1934: **New York sportswriter and broadcaster Ford Frick is named the public relations director of the National League. In nine months, Frick will become president of the National League, and will later become baseball commissioner, succeeding Happy Chandler. Frick had previously played an instrumental role in promoting the birth of the Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, New York. **The Cincinnati Reds purchase 43-year-old pitcher Dazzy Vance from the St. Louis Cardinals for $7,500. The future Hall of Famer will pitch for two more seasons, although he will only make two starts for the Reds and he will be waived back to St. Louis in midseason. *1935 - Demanding a yearly salary of $25,000, future Hall of Fame pitcher Dizzy Dean becomes a holdout. The St. Louis Cardinals right-handed ace will sign for $19,500 the following day. 1950s-1970s *1951 - Gabby Street dies in Joplin, Missouri, at age of 67. Nicknamed "The Old Sarge", he had a prolific baseball career as a catcher, manager, coach and play-by-play broadcaster. As a manager, Street led the St. Louis Cardinals to two National League championships and one World Championship in 1932. *1956 - Supporting the Wagner-Cashmore plan to build a $30-million downtown Brooklyn sports center, Dodgers owner Walter O'Malley promises to buy four million dollars worth of bonds. *1958 - Ted Williams signs a one-year contract with the Boston Red Sox. Reports on the worth of the contract estimate from $135,000 to $150,000. Either way, Williams becomes the highest paid player in major league history. *1968 - Voters in King County, Washington, approve by 62 percent a $40 million bond issue to build a domed, multipurpose stadium. *1976 - The American League grants the new expansion franchise in Seattle to a six-man investment group that includes movie star and entertainer Danny Kaye. The new franchise, called the Mariners, will start play in 1977. 1980s-1990s *1986 - The New York Yankees sign free agent relief pitcher Al Holland. *1995 - US President Bill Clinton’s deadline for a resolution to the baseball strike passes without a resolution. On January 26, Clinton had told the players and owners to resume bargaining and reach an agreement by the 6th. The strike will continue for nearly two more months. *1998: **The New York Yankees acquire All-Star second baseman Chuck Knoblauch from the Minnesota Twins for pitcher Eric Milton, shortstop Cristian Guzmán, two other minor leaguers, and $3 million in cash. Knoblauch will bat .265 with 17 home runs in 1998 and help the Yankees to the World Championship. **The New York Mets obtain pitcher Al Leiter and a minor league player from the Florida Marlins in exchange for pitcher A.J. Burnett and two minor leaguers. 2000s *2001 - Anaheim Angels first baseman Mo Vaughn undergoes surgery to repair a ruptured biceps tendon in his left arm. Vaughn will miss the entire 2001 season. *2005 - At Mazatlan, Mexico, pitcher Francisco Campos turns in another brilliant outing, and Mexican champion Mazatlan Eagles (Aguilas de Mazatlán) holds on in the final game, edging the Dominican Republic, 4–3, to win the 56th Caribbean World Series. *2006 - Daniel Cabrera allowed only one run and two hits in five innings, pitching the Dominican Republic's Licey Tigers past Mexico's Mazatlan 3-1 in the Caribbean Series. In the second game, the Caracas Lions of Venezuela remained undefeated after five games with a 5–1 victory over Puerto Rico's Carolina Giants. Home field advantage aside, Venezuela is heavily favored in tomorrow’s decisive game against Dominican Republic. Births *1880 - Frank LaPorte, outfielder (d. 1939) *1895 - Babe Ruth, Hall of Fame outfielder (d. 1948) *1901 - Glenn Wright, infielder (d. 1984) *1926 - Sam Calderone, catcher *1926 - Dale Long, All-Star infielder (d. 1991) *1927 - Smoky Burgess, All-Star catcher (d. 1991) *1949 - Richie Zisk, All-Star outfielder *1958 - Bill Dawley, All-Star pitcher *1969 - Bob Wickman, All-Star pitcher *1970 - Mark Hutton, pitcher *1975 - Chad Allen, outfielder Deaths *1903 - Hardie Henderson, pitcher (b. 1862) *1905 - Ned Cuthbert, outfielder (b. 1845) *1950 - Art Fletcher, player and manager (b. 1885) *1951 - Gabby Street, player and manager (b. 1882) *1955 - Hank Thormahlen, pitcher (b. 1896) *1960 - Noodles Hahn, pitcher (b. 1879) *1978 - Babe Ganzel, outfielder (b. 1901) *1996 - Bob Muncrief, All-Star pitcher (b. 1916)